Blue Seas Protection, who are currently in a row with the Isle of Wight Council over a boat dumped on Ryde Beach, have been reminded of the legal requirements surrounding charity registration and the importance of being open with the public by the Charities Commission.
It has been confirmed to Island Echo that the Commission have engaged with Blue Seas Protection (BSP) in recent weeks to make clear the legalities about when an organisation must register as a charity.
A small, not-for-profit organisation with income under £5,000 per year does not need to register as a charity, however, if the organisation’s income exceeds £5,000 a small charity constitution is no longer appropriate. An organisation is then legally obliged to register.
It is known that £4,270 was received from WightAID in 2017, with a further £4,000 granted by Tesco Plc in both 2018 and 2019. In July 2018 the organisation was also granted money by ASDA – thought to be £500. It is unknown what other grants or donations were made to Blue Seas Protection during the 3-year period and whether or not they exceeded the £5,000 limit in a single year.
In the past Blue Seas Protection has offered a celebrity the ‘unique opportunity’ to name a vessel after them – a ocean salvage and research vessel that would be ‘actively involved in ocean clean up operations’ in the English Channel. The organisation also called on the Government to fund the vessel to be stationed off the coast of Cornwall.
Blue Seas Protection, of Fort Street in Sandown but who operate out of Ryde Harbour, have been brought into the local spotlight recently after a boat belonging to them appeared on Ryde Sands back in April. Although the Isle of Wight Council have told the owners to shift it, they are refusing to do so. With the summer holidays fast approaching the dead-in-the-water boat still sits on the beach despite being offered a berth in Cowes.
Although it has no working engines and requires a lot of work, ‘James’ has appeared on the internet with a price tag of £185,000 – significantly more than what BSP paid for it. At the same time the organisation is seeking £140,000 in donations to make James operational.
HM Coastguard were called out to the bright orange former rescue vessel recently following reports of children playing around the RHIB, potentially cutting tubing and removing anchors. Investigations were carried out at cost to the public purse. Concerns have been raised about the potential for environmental pollution.
What’s more, the organisation’s other vessel ‘Iron Maiden’ has been put on the market for £90,000. It’s unclear what this means for the intended future of the organisation’s sea-cleaning activities.
A spokesperson for the Charities Commission has told Island Echo:
“We have engaged with the trustees to remind them of the legal requirements around charity registration, and the importance of being open with the public about the organisation’s current status.
“We understand the trustees will be meeting to review the organisation’s status soon”.
The spokesperson confirmed that Blue Seas Protection is not a registered charity and that the Commission are not in receipt of a current application for registration from Blue Seas Protection (correct as of 30th May).
The Isle of Wight Council said last month that it did not believe that Blue Seas Protection was recognised as a constituted charitable trust by the Charities Aid Foundation.
Island Echo approached Blue Seas Protection for a statement earlier this month, but they refused to answer our questions. They did however confirm that following an AGM at the start of June they have addressed their ‘pending registration’ with the Charities Commission and thanked Island Echo for interest in their ‘charity activities’.
Blue seas protections what utter bull@@@@
Just move the bloody boat to cowes!!
salvage it and send them the bill they seem to have money
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SO EVER , THE BOATS FOR PROTECTION OF OUR SEAS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s anchored in sand it’s going to drag and cause problems for every one ferry’s ..pier sailing boats and so on….!by law your nit aloud to leave a vessel in maned ….this is a important factor…and the fact it’s got no engine the and not fit for the sea then it should be a problem for the water authoritys
It is well anchored and the fact that it stayed where it was in the recent storm is testament to Captain Oates’ experience and seamanship
BOATS COMING IN THE HARBOUR
Good work and thanks to Island Echo for keeping on top of this.
I do wonder if Joanna Lumley knows or is happy about the fact that this person is using her image and name as the face of their “charity”?
OUR PATRONS ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE SKEWED JOURNALISM PRODUCED BY THIS IN THE GUTTER NEWS PAPER
There is enough negativity in the field of charities at the moment, This Micky Mouse charity is costing the people of the IOW money, How about the Council do a spot of Beach Cleaning and get rid of this heap of Rubbish before this eyesore has a detrimental effect on the tourist trade or someone does even more damage to it, rendering it completely useless and the council have to pay to get it taken away at high cost to Islanders.
THERES PLENTY OF IDIOTS ?
Hmm interesting article. Isn’t fraud a criminal offence?! Seems quite clear this ‘Captain’, I would like to see his qualifications and documented evidence of said ‘Captain’ helping marine mammals, or any marine life around the Solent or IOW; enlighten us as to where he obtained the funds to buy said vessels? Who owns these vessels and more importantly when said ‘Captain’ sells these vessels will the monies be forwarded to like minded charities or line his own pockets?! The controversy alone would make Mis Lumley, Mr May and Duke & Duchess ‘think twice me thinks…!
Dear MandAgain,
No fraud has been committed. If you would like to see Captain Oates’ qualifications personally you are most welcome. He has over 40 years worth. The so called “controversy” is caused by skewed journalism
ALL MONEY WAS DONATED TO BLUE SEAS PROTECTION CHARITY ,FROM VESSEL SALES ,YOUR MOUTHS A LOT BIGGER THAN YOUR BRAIN
they were stopped at several town carnivals last year joining in the procession and collecting money in buckets they did not sign in and were stopped by event management at sandown carnival they had a dog with the float
Good grief where on earth did you get that idea from?! We attended one Carnival (Sandown Illuminated), chatted to the organisers at the beginning, signed in and gave our collection buckets to Debbie Andre at the end
If it’s not moved I tow it back to a private berth and be charging The salvage and a basic rate of£100 a day ….this is a official warning to the owner I have told the port authority’s and it will be moved
Dear Richard,
The boat is legally moored at anchor. If the Council had a legal authority to seize it they would have done so by now but they dont. Your “official warning” is nonsense and any attempt will be recorded by CCTV and treated as Trespass.
Well done Islandecho for exposing and enlightening the public to this group of people who are clearly using public money to fund their own personal boat collection. They are lying to the public.
These people have been pretty vile and intimidating to the staff at the Harbour too, but of course they are unable to comment.
OK RYDE , WHATS MORE VILE THAN YOU ,INTIMIDATING YOU HAVE TO BE OBSIOUSLY NEED TO CHANGE YOUR KNICKERS
would this be the same Captain Oates who mowed down a marshal at Sandown airport?and a crown court judge labelled an arrogant buffoon?
Blue Seas Protection aim to clear the oceans of plastic. Yet the ‘Iron Maiden’ berthed in Ryde Harbour hasn’t left the berth for at least two years if I remember correctly. Then they beach the largest piece of plastic waste Ryde has ever seen on the sands just outside the harbour and refuse to move it. These people are no friends of the ocean, they are not a charity and should have no hope of being one. They appear to just be brokers who have no premises from which to conduct their business.
YOU HAVE A LOT TO SAY ! IDIOT
Clearly Mr Oates is being defensive because his little charity scam has been exposed. has miss lumley given her statement yet!!!!
NO SCAM , AND BY THE WAY ITS
MISS JOANNA LUMLEY OBE AND DONT EVER TRY TO DISGRACE OUR WORK ,IF YOUR MAN ENOUGH ILL TALK TO YOU
Said the weird little man who has probably saved as many fish as John West has…
Shift your bloody boat you dodgy git, we’re sick of seeing it!
YOUR A BIG MAN HIDING BEHIND A SCREEN ,COME AND MEET ME ANYTIME
So move the useless eyesore then.
YES INTO THE HARBOUR
Join the discussion…And the biggest load of bollocks I have ever seen is sitting on Ryde Sands !
YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW NOTHING
So Mr Oates why are you selling both boats then ?
Why do people hide behind keyboards, just go to the many beach cleans that they attend at their own expense and ask them directly.
They are a small growing charity started from nowhere highlighting the very avoidable destruction of our seas and oceans. They are not the RNLI with millions of pounds available to a squander on salaried personnel.